Aerial ladder



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. O. DAVOL.

AERIAL LADDER.

No. 540,643. Patented June 11, 1895.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

W; O. DAVOL.

V AERIAL LADDER. No. 540,643. Patented June 11, 1895.

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of n INVENTUFIZ WITNE 5551- UN TED STATES PATENT Fries.

WILLIAM O. DAVOL, OF FALL RIVER, MASSACHUSETTS.

AERIAL LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent No. 540,643, dated June 1 1, 1895. Application filed May 5, 1894. Serial No. 510,171- '(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. DAVOL, of Fall River, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in, Aerial Ladders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more especially to aerial ladders for firemens use, and it is also adapted for use as a portable water tower, and may be readily adapted to all kinds of portable ladders, and aerial, truck, and water towers. v

In the drawings I have shown inFigure l a perspective view of my aerial ladder attached to a truck and in position for use, in Fig. 2 a plan view of the same when not in use and folded up in form convenient for transportation, and in Fig. 3 a longitudinal section on line a: m, Fig. 2, of the supporting-braces.

a, is the ladder of any ordinary construction, and of any desired length, say sixty feet.

I). b. are braces capable of being adj ustably extended, as will be hereinafter explained. These braces are attached to the ladder by means of aswivel joint'c, or in any other way which will allow of free motion, so that the braces can be put at any desired angle to the ladder. These braces 19, are hollow, of any desired length, and provided with perforations, and into which the upper ends of the rods or. arms 1', 'i, extend, and are fastened by the pins e, which are passed through the perforations h. The pins e, are attached to chains f, by which they are secured to the braces by means of the rings g, around the braces, which en-' ables the pins to be raised or lowered on the braces.

h, h, are holes in the braces through which the pins e, may also be placed so as to enable the braces to be elongated to any desired extent. This elongation is done by means of the arms 2', i, sliding in the braces 19, b, which for this purpose are made hollow like gas-pipe, for example. These arms 71, have on their inside ends a shoulder j, which when the arm is pulled out to its greatest extent impinges upon a shoulder on the end of the brace, and by this means the arm is kept from being entirely pulled out at any time.

n, n, are blocks attached to the sides of the ladder at a point near the top of the main ladder, through which pass ropes o, 0, at the end of which is fastened a snap it, which is snapped and unsnapped at will into the swivel rings 3, s, which are attached to the arms Z, Z. This rope is used to lower and. raise the braces c, 1,. When the braces are lowered to the ground the snaps la, it, are released; and by means of the ropes 0, 0, they are, pulled to the top. of the ladder and arethere held by blocks '11, n, and the snaps k, k. In this position these ropes may be used as guys as an additional security to the firmness and safety of the ladder.

I design to attach my aerial ladder to a wagon or truck in the ordinary way.

, When it is desired to use the ladder it is elevated, the braces are released from the sockets d, d, and by means of the arms c, e, the braces are'adjusted so as to hold the ladder securely at any desired point or in any place.

It will be seen that the braces may, if necessary, be unequally elongated, that is, one may be longer than the other so as to adapt the ladder to inequalities in the ground, so that even if it is necessary for one brace to be placed in the hollow or hole it may be so regulated as to keep the ladder even. This adj ustment may be done very quickly, and also the ladder will be very firmly placed, so that all danger of its overturning, slipping or in anyother way meeting with any accident, is re moved. 7

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an aerial ladder, a truck, the ladder placed thereon, hollow perforated braces secured to the ladder,and provided with stops at their 10 wer ends; the rods or arms having their upper ends to extend into the braces, and provided with stops on these ends; the pins to lock the arms and braces together, and operating ropes fastened to the'rods or arms at their lower or rear ends and extending up over the pulleys on the ladder, substantially as shown.

2. In an aerial ladder the combination of the ladder a, braces 1), arms i, joint 0, blocks a, ropes 0, and snaps 1c, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

WILLIAM G. DAVOL. Witnesses:

HALE REMINGTON, CLINTON V. S. REMINGTON, ANDREW BORDEN. 4 

